Categories

Nail Care: You don’t need to be a cut above the rest!

The quick is the living part of a pet’s nail and has blood vessels running throughout. Cutting into the quick during nail trimming will result in bleeding. The higher up you cut the more painful and fierce the bleeding will be.

Another important fact to note is that the quick grows with the nail. As a pet’s nails grow longer the quick will also lengthen. So if your pet’s nails are overgrown you will not be able to clip the nails to the correctly desired length without cutting into the quick.

There are two ways to deal with this:

You will need to trim the tips of your dog’s nails often, and over time the quick will shorten OR

your vet or groomer can cut them right back, stop the bleeding, disinfect and seal the cut.

Why does dogs need to have their nails cut?

Not all dogs need their nails cut. If you pet walks often and on a hard surface where the nails can naturally grind down, you only need to check up and make sure the dew claws (the nails that are a little bit higher up on the leg and not all dogs have them) are kept trimmed. These nails do not come in contact with the surface and does not get the opportunity to grind down by them self.

Having overgrown nails can cause several health issues for your pet. When the nail grows, it naturally curls. Best case scenario it curls over itself and misses the pad. Worst case which happens quite regularly, it grows right into the pad and causes infection and severe pain every time your dog walks. This can cause secondary health issues because of the discomfort the dog is in, he or she will attempt not to walk on the leg with the ingrown nail. Over time this will cause an imbalance in posture which then will lead to complications such as arthritis. Convinced yet?

How will I know nails need to be cut?

Dog’s nails are naturally longer than human nails so we cannot compare and say their nails need to be cut because it is longer than ours.

In dogs with white nails it is easy to see where the quick or blood vessel runs. In black nails it is trickier. You can attempt to cut one nail and snip off a bit at a time until you can see the start of the quick. Or just go and get help from your animal care provider. As a rule of thumb when you hold your finger on your dog’s paw pad, the nail should be flush with the pad. Any growth over that should be cut to help your dog move easy.

What if I accidentally cut the quick?

If you accidentally cut the quick, try any of the following home remedy methods:

dip a cotton bud in cornstarch or baking powder and dab it against the bleeding nail

Push the nail through a wet bar of soap. Don’t wipe the soap off until the blood has clot.

You can buy styptic powder that groomers use

Vets use potassium permanganate powder: it acts as both an antiseptic and a disinfectant. It also promotes clotting. Be very careful though because it leaves a terrible brown stain on dogs with white coats. It will also stain any material and surfaces it comes into contact with.

Share

Petri

I have been actively involved in animal care and welfare for the past 20 years. My niche is dogs and everything about them from grooming to parasites to doggy couture, having gained experience as a petshop owner, a veterinary assistant, a holistic groomer a pet sitter and last but not least a pet owner. I am an avid teacher and have trained many students for animal care careers and subsequently published several books for students who cannot make it to the classroom. Check out my books in Amazon or available from www.learncenter.eu
DOG IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!

10 Reasons To Raise Your Child With A Dogby Tess Bryan · September 18, 2017 It is a sad and all too familiar occurrence that couples put their dog up for adoption shortly after having a baby.Mostly the excuses given, are that they just don’t have the time anymore that the dog deserves now that they…

10 Steps To Positive Crate Trainingby Tess Bryan · September 14, 2017In a previous article we have discussed the pros to having your dog crate trained. So you are convinced that it is a good idea, went and bought one and now you are looking at it and wonder what on earth to do next? Fear not! Follow...